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The Environment

During question period on the environment, members debated Bill C-39, which would change federal laws on environmental reviews and major project approvals. Xavier Barsalou-Duval of the Bloc Québécois said the government is using fear of Donald Trump and the trade war as an excuse to make permanent what he called emergency powers to get around environmental laws, and said the changes would only help oil companies and not Quebec. Liberal ministers Nathalie Provost and Steven MacKinnon said the bill only speeds up environmental assessments, noted Quebec has a similar one-year goal, and pointed to projects like a high-speed train and the Churchill Falls development as ways to cut emissions and create jobs. Most of the exchange went back and forth over whether the bill’s changes would be temporary or permanent.Written by AI from the debate. Updated .

Official text

4 statements

Xavier Barsalou-Duval

Bloc Québécois
“I oppose this bill. The government is using fear of Donald Trump and tariffs as an excuse to ignore environmental laws. We made sure those powers would end after five years, but this bill makes them permanent.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, with Bill C-39, the Liberals are exploiting the public’s fear of Donald Trump. Let us not forget that, under the pretext of fighting tariffs, they gave themselves the power to circumvent all environmental laws in order to build pipelines. That is irresponsible, but at least the Bloc Québécois managed to get a sunset clause added so that it would expire after five years, because Donald Trump will no longer be in office in five years’ time. However, in Bill C‑39, they are repealing that provision. They want to circumvent environmental laws for good. Does this not prove that the tariff crisis is basically just an excuse for them to bulldoze over everything?

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Nathalie Provost

Liberal
“Our plan only speeds up environmental reviews. Quebec has the same one-year goal. We are not getting rid of any laws or rules, and we will set clear conditions when new powers are used.”

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Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague for his important question. As a Quebecker and a former employee of Quebec’s environment ministry, I am very pleased to answer it today. Our proposal is simply about speeding up the response. Quebec’s environment ministry wanted to review its own environmental laws and its environmental impact assessment legislation. It has the same goal, specifically, one year. That is all we are doing. Laws and regulations are not being repealed. When we grant ourselves powers, conditions will be attached. We will be rigorous and—

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Xavier Barsalou-Duval

Bloc Québécois

Linked statement

“I oppose this bill. The government is using Donald Trump and the trade war as an excuse to make permanent cuts to environmental and worker protections. These changes only help oil companies, not people in Quebec.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, what the Liberals are doing through Bill C-39 is nothing new. It is rooted in the concept of a permanent state of emergency. That is when a government exploits a crisis, a temporary situation, to impose changes that are actually permanent and that would never be acceptable under normal circumstances. The Liberals are using the trade war and Donald Trump to introduce permanent rollbacks that will impact the environment, workers’ rights, land protection, endangered species and more. The Liberals are not doing this to protect Quebeckers; they are doing it to line the pockets of the oil companies. Have they no shame?

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Steven MacKinnon

Liberal
“I want the Bloc members to support the high-speed train and the Churchill Falls project. Both projects will cut pollution, create thousands of jobs, and help the economy.”

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Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, I have two pieces of advice for Bloc members today. First, if they want to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in Quebec, Canada and around the world, they should get on board with the high-speed train, which will slash greenhouse gas emissions. Second, they could enthusiastically get behind the Churchill Falls project. The federal government brought Quebec and Newfoundland and Labrador together to reach an agreement on a project that will create 23,000 jobs, meaning employment opportunities for Quebeckers, and that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and strengthen the economy.

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